Zone Pass Defense- How do you beat it?
 

:y220: I am very good at this game defensively and offensively (but only when my opponent plays man to man defense). As soon as my opponent starts using a cover 2 zone defense, i might as well quit the game. What are some offensive tips and strategies to beat the zone defense? Can anyone help me! I throw way too many Ints in the zone.

Re: Zone Pass Defense- How do you beat it?
 

Cover 2 is the easiest to beat. Just make sure you have at least 3 WR's. Say you line up in Single Slot Strong. Make sure either the TE or slot WR is running a deep post between the FS and SS. Audible your outside Receivers on Fades. This should leave the deep middle with a high pass wide open. The FS and SS cannot cover the outside Fades as well as the deep inside Post. Just make sure to throw it high so the LB dropping deep does not have a chance to make a play on the ball.

Another way to beat Cover 2 is to flood it. Put 3 WR's on one side. Get one of them to run the flat to influence the CB into the immediate flat. Have another WR running a deep corner route and have someone else running a streak. The receiver running the streak will influence the Safety deep leaving the corner route open.

That's two ways to beat cover 2 zone. The only problem you will have is determing the structure of the coverage before the snap. This is the part of the game I do not like. I know you disguise coverages, but every coverage has a structure so you can narrow down what it is. Tiburon did not do a good job of portraying that and has not done a good job of portraying that. In their game everything looks like cover 2. This is messed up. It betrays the very notion of every coverage having a structure. Cover 1 and Cover 3 share the same basic structure. So when my QB steps under center I should see a structure that says ohh this is either cover 1 or cover 3. Which one it is, I don't know until I snap the ball. Cover 2 and Cover 4 Zones share a similar structure, which one it is, I don't know until I snap the ball. Pre and Post snap reads. But you should see a structure when your QB goes under center and in this game every coverage has cover 2 as a structure which does not make sense to me but ohh well, that's the way it is.

Re: Zone Pass Defense- How do you beat it?
 

Basically, with every zone defense there are holes that you can find and exploit. It's just a question of having enough time to recognize what you're up against and having a reciever running on a route that takes him to one of the holes. This is why zone blitzes can be very effective, because you often don't have time to read the defense.

LBzrule is 100% correct in his post about how to beat a Cover 2 defense. I would like to add that you can try to beat most zones by flooding them. Since some of the guys on defense will stay on the wrong side of the field because their zone is there you should have somebody to throw the ball to on the flooded side.

I've found that a quick lazy way to take care of teams that run a lot of zone defenses is to throw to my RB more often. Have him on some curls just under the linebackers' zone and and when they don't have men in the flats throw there too. When there are men in the flats then you can usually lob it over their head when your RB starts running down the sideline so long as there isn't a LB or CB in one of those middle outside zones. Usually there isn't when there is also someone in the flats and if there is then you should be looking at the middle of the field because there's gotta be some space there.

Re: Zone Pass Defense- How do you beat it?
 

Easiest way by far to beat a cover 2 , is to run on it..(not a cop out answer but true), if you start running all over it your opponent will soon change to something else , and when he brings up extra men in the box to stop the run, then you throw on him :)

DrewBledsoe

Re: Zone Pass Defense- How do you beat it?
 

Am i correct in saying that i see a trend. Flooding either one side of the field with 3 wide outs or possibly hitting your running back on a few passing patterns. Also i could run on it. Are there any particular routes for each receiver that help to exploit the zone defenses?

Re: Zone Pass Defense- How do you beat it?
 

YES RUN,RUN,RUN, thats what most coaches preach and they are right, Now run first and if your opponent gives it to you take make sure to mix up your playcalling and motion. In madden you can tell if they are blitzing or in Zone, Motion and run, audible to a run from a pass just confuse the opponent with these schemes, keep them guessing, With the routes you want to run is IDK there are so many good ones, STICK TO THE SAME PLAYBOOK. LEARN YOUR PLAYBOOK. If you do that you will be unstoppable and always have that money play handy in the 4th qtr. Not to be an *** but if you can't beat the zone then you must only call at least 6-10 different plays throughout the game. ITS important to learn your playbook b/c if you can put together a 10-12 play drive without using the same plays then your opponent won't know how to stop you and cause them to panic. See if you run that opens up everything. Good luck and send me a FR if you have xbox live we can play eachother in nonranked games and i can help you if you need it.

Re: Zone Pass Defense- How do you beat it?
 

ok i know your a newb but if you throw to your RB when your opponent is in cover 2 it's a guranteed interception

Re: Zone Pass Defense- How do you beat it?
 

Not really if you wait until he finishes his pattern he'll usually run up the sideline.

If you can hit him on the sideline it's more like a guaranteed TD than a guaranteed pick.